Entering IB: Analyst vs Post MBA Associate?

Would love to know - what are the differences between entering Investment Banking out of UG as an Analyst versus out of MBA as an Associate in terms of 1) learning experience and skill development, 2) career trajectory and exit opportunities?

It seems that getting an MBA is ~ necessary regardless, so why not start a career elsewhere then pivot into an MBA + Investment Banking later on? It seems most convenient given the frustrations frequently voiced by IB Analysts.

6 Comments
 

Thank you everyone for your input - definitely helped! 

To provide perspective, I am a rising Sophomore who would one day like to start a business and believe I will eventually get an MBA regardless of whether I start in IB or elsewhere. Thus I wonder if it would be preferable for me to start a career elsewhere (say Engineering, etc) before pivoting into IB with an MBA; I have academic/career interests outside of Finance/Business. But would bypassing the IB Analyst experience 1) hinder my ability to recruit for PE and 2) limit my technical business acumen long term? 

P.S. I am well aware that I am thinking incredibly far ahead. In a few years I could very well want to be an astronaut - just a college kid trying to keep my options as open as possible. 

 

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